The Bone That Blew
by marionette0191
Summary: This is my rewrite of a scene from The Bone That Blew. No major spoilers. Simple oneshot.


**A/N** :: Set after the episode, The Bone That Blew. This is just my rewrite of the scene where Booth takes off his tie to stick it in the gas tank of the Kings' car. This could've EASILY been made into a B&B moment but the writers didn't catch it.

*

"Alright, do you think that dog comes with a saddle?" Booth couldn't help but comment as he watched the massive Dalmatian walk by. He was confident, standing with his hands in his pockets, puffing out his chest like the alpha male he was.

"Booth." Brennan began to walk briskly away, distracted by something other than the dog.

"What Bones, what is it?" He cautiously followed her.

She took one walk around the red, expensive Italian car before returning to his side. She moved closer to him, with her hands raised and touched the knot of his tie. She slowly began to undo it, her knuckles brushing the base of his throat in the process.

He didn't allow himself to breath. Not that he could if he tried. Bones was undressing him in public. His back was rigid, his eyes wide. He tried to make eye contact without actually moving, but failed. Her brows were furrowed; Booth could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

He knew she had trouble voicing her feelings, so should he make a move? Making sudden movements would surely scare her away though. He slowly raised his left hand and began to bend slightly forward, lowering her, so they could lean on the car. It was as if he was lowering her onto a bed, but he wouldn't allow his mind to go there now. The second his hand gently found her lower back she stopped her rigorous untying and looked him square in the eye.

"What, what are you doing?" Somehow, her eyes became even lighter.

"What are _you_ doing?" He narrowed his eyes.

"We need to see if the gas in their tank matches what was used as an accelerant on the victim." She was squinting at him, trying to figure out his secrets, like the bones of a victim. Slowly, realization dawned on her and she raked her eyes back up to meet his.

By then, his ears were flaming red. Luckily, he was able to prevent anything else from giving away his immense embarrassment; he was a cop after all.

"Booth…" She drew out his name, as if she was questioning a small child.

He tried to speak but all that came out was some garbled stuttering from the back of his mouth.

Delicately, she continued. He thought his obvious misinterpretation would've startled her, make her back down. Instead, she slowly undid the rest of his tie, never looking away from him. If she was any other woman, he would've thought that the way she was looking up at him from under her eyelashes, she was surely seducing him. If it was any other woman.

She pulled his tie off tantalizingly slowly, with eyes that were smirking. With her other hand she reached up and expertly undid his top button.

Suddenly she whirled around, whipping her hair against his chest. Within seconds she had the tie dipped in the gas tank and then dripping on the sidewalk, leaving a shell shocked Booth to sway behind her. She turned walked toward the car, then stopped and turned back to her partner.

"You need me to drive?"

If she had said something like this in the first year of their partnership, he would've thought she was being condescending. In the second year, he would've thought she was being innocently oblivious to her effect on him. Now he thought that maybe, just maybe, his Bones was flirting with him. It could be wishful thinking, but he thought he saw her smile before she turned and floated toward their car.

He could feel the blood rush to his head. He followed her, jogging to the car, keys and ID cards jingling in his pockets. He was literally chasing her. He opened the door and bounced himself in before turning to her with the biggest grin on his face.

"What?" She thought she had control of the situation. Seeing the way his pupils had dilated, she thought that he was going to be putty in her hands for the next few hours.

"Nothing." He began to drive, still smiling like a fool.

He wasn't trying to confuse her. He was honestly trying to contain his excitement. His heart was pounding and he practically had hiccups caught in his throat. He was acting the way Parker had when guests started arriving for his birthday party.

It was as if a lost man had found hope that the woman he loved could love him back. His mood was infectious and soon she had an identical smile on her face. Their partnership? It was definitely a symbiotic relationship.

A short while later, they were walking into the Jeffersonian, their laughter echoing off the walls. Even the diligent interns looked up, only to see the 'cold' Dr. Brennan holding onto her partner's shoulder, her laughter making it hard to even walk. He had an arm around her waist to hold her up, at the same time wiping his smiling face with his sleeve.

Hodgins was sitting at his station with Cam leaning over his shoulder. They exchanged glances.

Max Keenan poked his head around the corner and his heart swelled. If he couldn't be here for his daughter, at least he knew Booth would always be there.

The interns were thrown off, but still smiled at the couple.

Angela heard the vaguely familiar sound of her best friend's laughter and went to check on it. She stood in the doorway of her own office and beamed.

"Those are satisfied smiles if I've ever seen any." Angela commented to the first person who walked by.


End file.
